Drinking-water cooling and dispensing apparatus



B. MARKUS April 9, 1929.

DRINKING WATER COOLING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Nov,

4, 1926 -2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR BENJHMIN MFiFML/S Byfl /Q(V v F/aj HTTORNEYS April 9, 1929. B, A U 1,708,184

DRINKING WATER COOLING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 46 x 3 v i 6 r/IIII//L INVENTOF? BENJFIMIN MHRHUS FITTORNEXS Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN MARKUS, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR T0 HENRY I. WAT- SON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

[DRINKING-WATER COOLING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Application filed November 4, 1926. Serial No. 146,210.

This invention relates to improvements in drinking water cooling and dispensing apparatuses. I

Objects of the invention are to elimlnate the use of refrigeration coils and thus prevent defrosting and therefore, dripping; to avoid contamination of the drinking water; to provide means for obtaining and maintaining control of the temperature of the water; to keep the same cold but not frozen; to eliminate the icing operation ordinarily used with devices of the inverted bottle type shown in Patent #895,782; to provide a combination water receptacle and cooling or expansion chamber surrounding the same;

7 to pfovide an arrangement of the liquid delivery into the expansion chamber to allow an uninterrupted fall of the liquid to the bottom of the expansion chamber during expansion; to reduce the cost of manufacture, and operating expense; to obtain refrigeration directly and by conduction, instead of convection, and to provide for maximum conduction effects; to substantially entirely surround the water-(lispensing chambers with a continuous single expansion chamber.

Features of,the invention include the device constructed as a combined water receptacle and cooling and expansion chamber; the construction of the receptacle, the arrangement of the liquid inlet and the vapor outlet, and to the general construction and arrangement of the device in combination with a compression and expansion cooling system.

Other objects, features and certain advantages of the invention are set forth in the description of the drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the device, the combination water receptacle and expansion chamber element being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a detached vertical sectional view of the element.

Figure 3 is a plan partly in section; and Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of one form of expansion valve.

The device isherein illustrated as applied to a drinkin water dispensing apparatus. A stand 1 has a wooden casing 2 mounted upon its top. This casing can be constructed in any preferred manner, and within the casing is the dispensing receptacle, herein having the form of a double walled bottle, the outer wall being indicated at 5 and the inner wall at 6. The double wall extends substantially from the top to the bottom of the receptacle and substantially completely surrounds the same and forms a continuous expansion chamber 4. At the lower end, a spigot 7 is connected as shown and extends outwardly through the casing or boxing 2. The bottle is indicated at 8 and is shown in inverted position resting upon a gasket or washer 9 suitably held in a cavity 10 at the upper end of the combined expansion chamber and water dispensing receptacle. The operation of dispensing is the usual one.

Between the supporting legs of the stand is arranged a shelf 20, and upon this shelf is mounted a refrigerating apparatus which may be of any approved construction, the one shown being a convenient form. This apparatus comprises a compressor 21, a motor 22 having connected therewith a fan 23 adapted to cool the condensing coils indicated at 24, said coils having a connection with the compressor 21 as at 26. The lower end of the coil is suitably connected as at 28 with a receiver 30', herein having the form of a bottle arranged horizontally below the support 31 for the refrigerating apparatus. This receiver is connected by a pipe line 35 with an expansion valve 40, the detail of which is shown in Figure 4, and the operation of which will be later described. The delivery end of this valve is connected as at 41 with the outer wall of the dispensing receptacle, and is adapted to deliver into the expansion chamber. The delivery opening is arranged toallow an uninterrupted fall of the liquid toward the bottom of the expansion'chamber as shown in Figure l. The compressor 21 is connected on its suction side by a pipe 45, with the expansion chamber as at 46, this connection being made at a point above the level of the expansion valve connection, preferably at the highest level of the water receptacle. The present refrigeration device is designed for use of sulphur dioxide as a refrigerant. i

The expansion valve may be of any preferred construction but the device illustrated in Figure '4 is found to be satisfactory. The valve comprises a casing 50 having a cover 51, which cover has a tubular extension 52 in which a compression spring is mounted, the degree-"of compression of .the spring being variable by means of a set 50, 51. Suitabl 'mounted at the opposite side of the diap ragmis a lever-57 having its. upper end engaged between a stud 58 and a coiledspring 5 9, which coiled spring tends to force the needle valve 60 against its seat against the action of the compressed liquid. The valve operates in a well-known manner, the springs 54 and 59 being adjusted to obtain an opening in the valve under the desired pressure, so that when a certain degree of pressure has been reached, the valve will automatically open, and when the pressure is reduced, the same will automatically close. Access to the expansion valve 40 is had through an opening in the casing 2, the opening bein covered by a suitable cap 62, as shown. The space between'the receptacle 5 and the boxing 2 is filled with a suitable heat-insulating material generally indicated 65, this material acting to prevent de-frosting and resultant dripping.

The operation of the refrigerating device is well known and it is believed that a description of the same is unnecessary.

In order to control the temperature of the liquid to keep the same cold but to prevent freezing, an automatically 0 erable controlling means is connected in t e low pressure ine of the refrigeration device,

said means being operable to control thecurrent to the motor which operates the compressor. I

In Figure 1 a diagrammatic representation of the above mentioned controllin means is given, the only function of whic is to control the operation of the compressor motor, and thus control the temperature. The numeral represents a resilient' expansion member disposed within a chamber 71. Communicating with this chamber is a pipe 72 communicating at its opposite end with the low pressure suction line 45. Connected with the accordion-like diaphragm 70', as by a link 75, for movement therewith is a lever 73 pivoted at 74 to a suitable support. The opposite endof this lever is connected in a suitable manner to a switch member 76, controlling the circuit the circuit and again sto the motor.

indicated at 85. anism herein shown is of the low pressure sion chamber sai -Under these conditions pressure is built up in the expansion chamber 4 and the connection 45. When the pressure 1s sufiicient fthe resilient diaphragm 70 is compressed and forced downwardly to close the switch element 76 across the terminals 77v-78 resulting in the energization .of the motor.

After a certain number of compression strokes the pressure effect in the element 45 is annulled, due to the created suction effect in line 45, resulting in a rise of the element 70 and of the element 76 to break predetermined resiliency is given the element 70, and thus the operation of circuit making and breaking is determined according-to the degree of compression, given the element 70 during the idle period of the motor 22 and the compressor 83. The driving means between motor and compressor is The. refrigerating mechwall and an inner wall spaced from the outer wall at its upper portion and joined to the outer wall above the bottom of the outer wall to form an evaporatorchamber, and a spigot through the outer wall below the line of juncture between the inner and outer walls. n

2. A drinking water dispensing apparatus of the inverted bottle type comprising a water dispensing rece tacle having an outer wall and an inner wal spaced from the outer wall at its upper ortion to form an expand inner wall being joined to the outer wall near the bottom of the outer wall, and a spigot through the outer wall below the line of juncture between the inner and outer walls, a vessel with insulatin material therein surrounding said receptac e, an expansion valve within said vessel connected to said chamber, a compressor having its suction side connected to the chamber and a condenser connected to the discharge side of the compressor and to said valve.

3. A drinking water dispensing apparatus of the inverted bottle type comprlsing a water dispensing receptacle having an outer wall and an inner wall spaced therefrom and connected thereto to form an air-tight space between the walls the inner wall being connected to the outer wall above the bottom of the vessel, a spigot passing through the outer wall alone and into said receptacle, an

' the said space between the walls, and an expansion valve in said pipe.

4Q A drinking water dispensing apparatus of the inverted bottle type species comprising a water dispensing receptacle having an outer wall and an inner wall spaced therefrom and connected to form an air-tight space between the walls the inner wallbeing connected to the outer wall above the bottom of the vessel, a spigot passing through the outer wall alone and into said receptacle, an outer vessel surrounding said dispensing receptacle with insulating material surrounding said receptacle, a compressor with its suction side connected to the upper portion of the space between the walls, a receiver with pipe connections to the said space between the walls, an expansion valve in said pipe, a fan, and a coil in proximity thereto extending between the compressor and receiver.

5. A drinking water dispensing apparatus comprising a stand, an outer casing with insulating material therein, a water dispensing receptacle withinthe insulating material said receptacle having an outer wall and an inner wall spaced therefrom to form an expansion chamber, a compressor with its suction side connectedto the upper portion of the expansion chamber, a condenser connected to the discharge side of the compressor, a receiver connected to said condenser and to the expansion chamber, and an expansion valve in said pipe connection between the receiver and the expansion chamber located in the insulating material in said outer casing.

6. A drinking water dispensing apparatus of the inverted bottle type comprising a water dispensing receptacle said receptacle having an outer Wall and an inner wall spaced therefrom the outer wall being connected to the inner wall to form an airtight chamber the upper portion of the receptacle being cylindrical with a seat thereon for receiving an invertedbottle the receptacle then spreading out cone shaped whereby any liquid freezing mixture will gravitate toward the bottom of the receptacle the inner wall of the receptacle being attached to the outer wall above the bottom of the receptacle, and a spigot for the receptacle passing through the insulating material and outer wall.

7. A drinking water dispensing apparatus comprising an outer casing, a water dispensing receptacle within the outer casing, said receptacle having an outer wall and an inner wall spaced therefrom to form an expansion chamber, insulating material in said casing surrounding said outer wall, a compressor with its suction side connected to the 7 upper portion of the expansion chamber, a condenser connected to the discharge side of the compressor, a pipe connection'between said condenser and the expansion chamber and an expansion valve in said pipe connection between the receiver and the evaporator. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of November, 1926.

BENJAMIN MARKUS. 

